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Vegan environment activist Greta Thunberg asked the pope to fight climate change yesterday.
Thunberg has made global headlines in recent months, through her efforts, which include encouraging students to attend demonstrations demanding political action on climate change while ‘on strike’ from school. Her influence has spread beyond her native Sweden throughout Europe and beyond.
In her latest drive to bring attention to the issue was to go to Vatican City and attend an audience with the pope. According to reports, Thunberg took her seat in the VIP section in St Peter’s Square, holding a sign – and the Pope Francis came over to see her.
Greta Thunberg gives a speech on climate change
Easter campaigning
Thunberg has been campaigning hard to make politicians pay more attention to the impending climate crisis – and will continue lobbying over Easter.
“Now I’m on the train on my way to the EU Parliament, the Italian Senate, the Vatican and the House of Parliament in London, during the Easter holiday,” she wrote on Facebook at the weekend.
“And on Friday I will participate in the school strike in Rome. (I know it’s a holiday but since the climate crisis doesn’t go on vacation nor will we.”
Recognition
Thunberg’s efforts have not gone unnoticed – she has become a regular fixture in the mainstream media. In addition, she has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and won the first prestigious Prix Liberté.
The activist said she was ‘honored and very grateful for this [Nobel] nomination’ after her name was put forward by three Norwegian lawmakers from the Socialist Left Party, who said ‘the massive movement Greta has set in motion is a very important peace contribution’. They added ‘climate threats are perhaps one of the most important contributions to war and conflict’.
Writing about her Prix Liberté award, Thunberg said: “The climate crisis is not only threatening the living conditions for billions of people. It is indeed threatening our whole civilization as we know it. And it is the ones who are the least responsible who are affected the most.”
